Baltimore lawmakers joined a national effort Tuesday, calling upon Washington lawmakers to raise the federal minimum wage to about $10 an hour by 2014.Currently, the federal minimum wage stands at $7.25 an hour."Ladies and gentlemen, we are here today to demand that congress pass the Rebuild America Act, which will raise the federal minimum wage for nearly 30 million American workers," City Council President Jack Young said during a rally Tuesday.At City Hall, Baltimore leaders -- including Young and the mayor -- called out to Washington to raise the federal minimum wage.The rally was part of a national effort to urge lawmakers to approve the proposed Rebuild America Act, which would give a pay raise to people like Bruce Gross, who lost his $13 an hour sandblasting job and now works for minimum wage in telemarketing."Every month, we have to go through a decision on whether to pay a bill, gas and electric, rent, or to have food for my children," Gross said.The minimum wage portion of the bill is based on the Harkin-Miller minimum wage proposal, which would raise the federal minimum wage by 85 cents a year for three years, capping at about $10 in 2014.In 2015, it would then adjust to keep pace with the rising cost of living and it would also raise the minimum wage for tipped employees.Supporters feel the increase would help Baltimore's struggling residents and other cities to rebuild economically."You have to go to public service, social service for food, clothes drives, school supply drives and it shouldn't be that way. Everybody should be able to live," said Lisa Lucas-Alston with Good Jobs Better Baltimore.

Baltimore lawmakers joined a national effort Tuesday, calling upon Washington lawmakers to raise the federal minimum wage to about $10 an hour by 2014.

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Currently, the federal minimum wage stands at $7.25 an hour.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are here today to demand that congress pass the Rebuild America Act, which will raise the federal minimum wage for nearly 30 million American workers," City Council President Jack Young said during a rally Tuesday.

At City Hall, Baltimore leaders -- including Young and the mayor -- called out to Washington to raise the federal minimum wage.

The rally was part of a national effort to urge lawmakers to approve the proposed Rebuild America Act, which would give a pay raise to people like Bruce Gross, who lost his $13 an hour sandblasting job and now works for minimum wage in telemarketing.

"Every month, we have to go through a decision on whether to pay a bill, gas and electric, rent, or to have food for my children," Gross said.

The minimum wage portion of the bill is based on the Harkin-Miller minimum wage proposal, which would raise the federal minimum wage by 85 cents a year for three years, capping at about $10 in 2014.

In 2015, it would then adjust to keep pace with the rising cost of living and it would also raise the minimum wage for tipped employees.

Supporters feel the increase would help Baltimore's struggling residents and other cities to rebuild economically.

"You have to go to public service, social service for food, clothes drives, school supply drives and it shouldn't be that way. Everybody should be able to live," said Lisa Lucas-Alston with Good Jobs Better Baltimore.